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from Israel!” because the ark of God had been 10 Therefore they sent the ark of God to
captured and because of her father-in-law and Ekron. So it was, as the ark of God came to
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her husband. And she said, “The glory has Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying,
departed from Israel, for the ark of God has “They have brought the ark of the God of
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been captured.” Israel to us, to kill us and our people!” So they
sent and gathered together all the lords of the
Philistines, and said, “Send away the ark of the
God of Israel, and let it go back to its own
place, so that it does not kill us and our peo-
4:21 Ichabod…The glory has departed. Due ple.” For there was a deadly destruction
primarily to the loss of the ark, the symbol of
God’s presence,Phinehas’s wife names her child throughout all the city; the hand of God was
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Ichabod, meaning either “Where is the glory?” very heavy there. And the men who did not
or “no glory.”To the Hebrew,“glory” was often die were stricken with the tumors, and the cry
used to refer to God’s presence;hence,the text of the city went up to heaven.
means “Where is God?” The word “departed” Psalm 54:1–7
carries the idea of having gone into exile.Thus,
to the people of Israel,the capturing of the ark To the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments.
was a symbol that God had gone into exile. A Contemplation of David when the Ziphites went
Although this was the mind-set of Israel, the and said to Saul, “Is David not hiding with us?”
text narrative will reveal that God was present, ave me, O God, by Your name,
even when He disciplined His people. S And vindicate me by Your strength.
2 Hear my prayer, O God;
Give ear to the words of my mouth.
Then the Philistines took the ark of God
5 and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.
2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they
brought it into the house of Dagon and set it by
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Dagon. And when the people of Ashdod arose 54:1 by Your name. In the ancient world, a
early in the morning, there was Dagon, fallen person’s name was essentially the person him-
on its face to the earth before the ark of the self. Here, God’s name includes His covenant
LORD. So they took Dagon and set it in its protection. vindicate. David requests that
place again. And when they arose early the God will execute justice for him, as in a court
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next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its trial when a defendant is declared not guilty.
face to the ground before the ark of the LORD.
The head of Dagon and both the palms of its
hands were broken off on the threshold; only 3 For strangers have risen up against me,
Dagon’s torso was left of it. Therefore neither And oppressors have sought after my
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the priests of Dagon nor any who come into life;
Dagon’s house tread on the threshold of They have not set God before them.
Dagon in Ashdod to this day. Selah
6 But the hand of the LORD was heavy on the
4 Behold, God is my helper;
people of Ashdod, and He ravaged them and The Lord is with those who uphold my
struck them with tumors, both Ashdod and its life.
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territory. And when the men of Ashdod saw 5 He will repay my enemies for their evil.
how it was, they said, “The ark of the God of Cut them off in Your truth.
Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is
harsh toward us and Dagon our god.” There- 6 I will freely sacrifice to You;
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fore they sent and gathered to themselves all I will praise Your name, O LORD, for it
the lords of the Philistines, and said, “What is good.
shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” 7 For He has delivered me out of all
And they answered, “Let the ark of the God trouble;
of Israel be carried away to Gath.” So they car- And my eye has seen its desire upon
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ried the ark of the God of Israel away. So it my enemies.
was, after they had carried it away, that the Proverbs 15:12–13
hand of the LORD was against the city with a
very great destruction; and He struck the 12 A scoffer does not love one who
men of the city, both small and great, and corrects him,
tumors broke out on them. Nor will he go to the wise.

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